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North Manchester has been chosen to host one of five 'shop and vote' weekends on April 29 and 30 - four days before the local government elections on Thursday, May 4.

It will give registered electors an alternative to voting at their traditional polling stations. Instead, they will have the change to cast their votes at Manchester Town Hall or one of four supermarkets across the city.

Asda in Harpurhey district centre will host the north Manchester event when registered voters will be asked to produce their poll card and provide their names and addresses to staff.

Their details will be sourced and marked electronically so paper registers used on May 4 will indicate those who have already voted.

Crumpsall councillor and Manchester city Council leader Richard Leese hopes many people would take advantage of the opportunity to shop and vote.

He said: "Our aim is to make it more convenient for people to vote. Supermarkets are at the heart of communities and are busy at weekends providing a perfect location for a polling station."

The supermarket and town hall electronic polling stations will be open on Saturday, April 29 from 9am until 6pm and on Sunday, April 30 from 11am to 4pm.